for the no-projector case by printing out slide handouts and working
from there. Not really a problem, although I should prepare written
instructions (handouts? manila paper?) next time. Actually quite
fun.

- I considered following the original plan (giving them the scripts

and asking them to follow it) but I thought that asking them to
write the scripts themselves would help them learn more. From the
class discussion and the reaction to the activity, I think that it
was effective. Most people were excited about the activity and there
were a few insights that I wouldn't have been able to elicit
otherwise.

- Getting them to say "object oriented programming" together at the

start was pretty fun. I think that helped send the message
that this wasn't going to be an ordinary lecture, and it didn't take
a lot of time.

- Martin and the other teachers were very helpful. We walked around to

check on groups' progress while they worked on the scripts. I
noticed that some groups weren't working on the scripts, so I made
sure to pass by and help them understand what they needed to do.

- Contrary to popular opinion, our freshmen are not quiet.

They're actually quite a lively bunch.

- The dormers are seriously overloaded. One of the Cersans obviously

lacked sleep.

- I was seriously tempted to pantomime parts of it, and I probably

would have if I had discussed the roles in more detail instead of
letting them define it themselves. I also managed to resist the
temptation to get them to sing a song... ;)

expressed in terms of reactions, but the Java programs they had
experimented with in the first lab assignment were more like
commands to the computer. When you define objects, can they take the
initiative?

I explained that even the Java programs they wrote in lab assignment
are also 'reactive' in nature. The "public static void main(...)"
part says what the computer is supposed to do when you tell it to
run "java HelloWorld". So, essentially, all computer programs
_react_ - they react to us. Briefly talked about event-driven
programming.

- A student observed that although the objects we were

talking about were very real, the Java programs they wrote were just
plain text. "Why aren't there any pictures?"

Pointed out that when they were writing the scripts, they were using
plain text too. =) So plain text can describe something that is more
than just text.

Told them that now they have an idea of how difficult defining
objects and writing programs is, and that it's impossible to write a
script or a program that deals with all the possible cases. Pointed
out need for way to fail gracefully. ("I'm sorry, sir, I don't know
how to do that." or "I'm sorry, but we don't serve hamburgers. Would
you like to order a spaghetti bolognese instead?")

- They really liked testing! They thought of a lot of cases and

what to do - customer running out without paying, customer not having
enough money, etc. I think the following factors helped:

situation from real life

they can't easily test those things in real life without being
humiliated or chased

- Some students had flowcharts, some students had really neat

scripts... cool!

Things I can do to improve

- Have handouts for each group - even just one sheet with the

instructions. Of course, this means I should prepare earlier instead
of just the time between 8:30 - 2:30... Hmm. Possibly skip lunch
next time, although lunch was a lot of fun, so think it was not all
that bad a decision.

- Prepare earlier. I suck at not cramming. Actually, well,

more of "try to get nifty ideas earlier" and "don't get distracted
by Harry Potter 5 (or any book, really)".

- Make the scripts more formal. Can be done by preparing the

aforementioned handout.

- Balance the work a bit better. Waiter does way too much work. Can

someone help tweak the example?

- Make them really stick to the script when testing. Maybe this can be

done by telling them to roleplay a computer, or swap scripts around
within their group and try to find bugs by taking everything
literally. I think the latter might be fun, and it will probably get
people to participate more.

- Make testing even more rigorous. Instead of just picking 4 people

from different groups and having them act out their scripts, we can
pick 4 people as the actors and get their scripts from 4 _other_
people. More testing mayhem!

- Find a better way to facilitate discussion. I had around half an

hour for open discussion. I resisted the temptation to fill awkward
silences. A number of people volunteered
insights/questions. I feel that it could be improved, however -
maybe a quick group discussion so that they could share what they
learned (written down, maybe?), and then a whole-class discussion
(spoken so that other people can hear)?

- Take attendance at the next plenary session. Almost all of the

people in my class showed up (those who didn't had a schedule
conflict), even though one of them was really sleepy. (Suggested
that he should just pass by the department one of these days, but he
insisted on staying.) Didn't recognize other people, though - wasn't
sure whether they were CS or MIS. Should at least do a show of hands.
(And actually remember the numbers!)

- Maybe get them to mix more so that they group with people they don't

know?

- Find a way of taking anonymous polls so that I can evaluate the

session. One-minute comments to be dropped into boxes on the way
out?

- Compile whatever OO humor I run across. I didn't know any jokes

that might apply. =)

- Think about using the wireless mic. It didn't work when I tried it,

so I settled for voice projection (thank you, St. Scho, for making
us all act on the stage!). Clearly heard from back, I think, as
students nodded when I asked. Should consider asking them a question
next time - "I need to check if I can be heard from the back. You
there - what's 1 + 2?"

- Of course, I need to be clearer. Should work on that. Make goal

clearer, make steps clearer. =)

- Find a way of recording lessons learned - acetate, pen, and OHP?

- Describe the whole thing so that other teachers can do it or improve

on it.

Conclusion

Much work to be done, but suspect that the plenary was not entirely a
waste of time, and have learned much from it. Hope students have done
so too. Will follow up with a short (one? two?)-minute (ungraded?)
quizlet asking them to list down the most important things they
learned from the plenary session.

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Page: 2003.06.25

Updated: 2004-11-2106:44:1306:44:13-0500

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